मलबार

मलबार किंवा मलबार विभाग/किनारपट्टी (मल्याळमः മലബാര്‍ ) [मला/माला/मालै/माळा/माळै म्हणजे टेकड्यांची रांगा,पर्वतरांग आणि बार म्हणजे पट्टी (पट्टिनम्/पट्टनम्/पुरम) ह्या शब्दाचे इंग्रजीतील समानार्थी रूप "बार"]is a region of southern India, lying between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea. The name is thought to be derived from the Malayalam word Mala (Hill) and Puram (region) derived or westernised into bar. This part of India was a part of the British East India company controlled Madras State,when it was designated as Malabar District .

It included the northern half of the state of केरळ and some coastal regions of present day Karnataka. The area is predominantly Hindu but the majority of केरळ's Muslim population known as Mappila also live in this area, as well as a sizable ancient Christian population.

The name is sometimes extended to the entire southwestern coast of the peninsula, called the Malabar Coast. Malabar is also used by ecologists to refer to the tropical moist forests of southwestern India (present day केरळ).

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